Chapter 32

After the cramped airlock in the Athena, the larger one in basecamp was something of a relief. With shining white walls it seemed a little surreal, almost ethereal, us group of shining white people gathered together inside. The larger chamber took longer to fill, and did so with none of the hissing urgency of the Athena’s. Red light went green, and we filed through and into basecamp.

It was a big, open space, glowing with translucence, and was pretty much empty right now. Usually the lab equi...